Jack Danylchuk
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Aug 26/05) - The territorial government turned a new page in its relations with the public this week, inviting taxpayers to participate in planning next year's budget.

The territorial government consults voters on its legislative agenda, but this is the first time the public will have an opportunity to speak to budget preparation. Their views "will carry lots of weight for me as an MLA; it's important when people make presentations on issues that concern them," said Kevin Menicoche, MLA for Deh Cho and chair of the standing committee on accountability and oversight.

The committee opened two days of hearings Thursday in Yellowknife and next week will talk to residents of Inuvik, Fort Simpson, Paulatuk, Trout Lake, Fort Good Hope, Lutsel K'e, Hay River and Whati. Budget planning is usually secret in the Northwest Territories, but committee members noted that other jurisdictions allow for public input, and decided to do the same, Menicoche said.

"The general idea is get out in the communities and get the public's views on how the government is spending their money and take that into consideration," Menicoche said.

Hearing from voters and special interest groups "will help other members to know that it's not just my views on spending plans, but the views of people in the constituency," he said.

Committee members will meet in September to compare findings, and pull together a report for the October sitting of the legislature. Doug Schauerte, deputy clerk of the legislature, said the public response to the invitation has been "very positive."

NWT Seniors Society, North Slave Metis Alliance, and the NWT and Yellowknife chambers of commerce spoke to the committee on Thursday at the legislature. NWT Literacy Council, Alternatives North, Ecology North, NWT Council for Persons with Disabilities, Centre for Northern Families, NWT Tourism, Canadian Bar Association, YWCA, NWT Federation of Labour, and the Native Womens Association were scheduled to meet the committee today.